Chapter 287 - Chapter 287: Making Unjust Money
Chapter 287: Making Unjust Money
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“Why is there farmland at her house?”
“Oh? There’s also farmland in Tianshui Town. It’s reassuring to eat vegetables grown yourself. Come, I’ll take you around.”
The two arrived at the field. “Wow, it’s the first time I’ve seen farming like this. It looks like flowers. It’s a vegetable field, yet it’s so beautifully arranged. What is this?”
“Eggplant. These are green beans, cucumbers, Chinese chives, strawberries, garlic, scallion, and ginger.”
“Wait, how do you recognize everything?”
“When you marry in, you’ll have to do the farming. Otherwise, you won’t win Mother-in-law’s favor.
“Oh my, you don’t look like a county princess, more like a village girl.”
“I’d rather be a village girl. Even if you don’t believe what I say, you must marry Yun’er. There are only benefits, no disadvantages.”
Xiao Qingling pursed her lips, “Marriage is a serious matter. My parents will decide. I have a good impression of Yun’er, but I can’t follow your advice casually.”
“Of course. If both of you are willing, as the matchmaker, I’ll visit both families officially. Shall we discuss it formally?”
Xiao Qingling blushed and didn’t continue the topic.
Silence indicated consent. Miss Mu, seizing the opportunity, first consulted Qiao Mai. Seeing that her mother-in-law didn’t object, she asked a matchmaker to go to the Xiao family for the formal proposal.
When the Xiao family heard that it was the newly popular Yuan family, and she would be the only wife, they were naturally satisfied.
So, the matchmaker went to the Qiao family. With both families interested, the two families met under the matchmaker’s mediation.
They let the two children talk alone, and their engagement was settled. The formal proposal would take place after the imperial examination. During this time, everyone paid great attention to the matter.
At this crucial moment, the capital was crowded with people.
Every inn was full. Nanny Jin returned home with Ling’er and went to the backyard, looking disappointedly at Qiao Mai.
“Mother, there are too many people in the capital. It’s not as quiet as the small town.”
“Isn’t it because the scholars are here for the exam? What’s the matter?” “There are no suitable storefronts. What should we do, Mother?”
Qiao Mai took them to the front of their courtyard and looked around. “How about we build our storefront here? I can open a food stall in the capital. You can use the left side, and I’ll use the right.”
“Hehe, how long will it take to build?” “At most two months. It’s just one storefront. It will be quick.”
“Then I’ll go to the broker center?”
“You can entrust it to them. I’ll find a location, and it will be convenient for you as a young girl to have your store at home.”
“Will it be convenient for us?”
Just like that, during Chuan’er’s preparation for the imperial examination, the Qiao family began constructing a storefront.
The broker center attached great importance to this task, hoping to see new materials in the construction. But unfortunately, there were none!
The foreman quietly inquired and was disappointed to find from Qiao Mai that the materials were imported from overseas and had been used up. Even if one wanted to buy at a high price, there were none available. This shattered the hopes of some individuals.
On March 26th, Yuan Jiaqi, Qiao Mai, Old Master and Mistress Wang, Fengyun, and Ling’er all got up early to send Chuan’er to the examination hall.
He was the only one in the family taking the exam. If he passed as a Tribute Scholar, Old Master Wang could retire comfortably.
After seeing Chuan’er enter the examination hall, Fengyun went to handle his matters, Old Master Wang accompanied Old Mistress Wang to visit acquaintances, and Yuan Jiaqi also had official duties to attend to.
At the examination hall’s entrance, only Qiao Mai, Ling’er, and Nanny Jin were left.
“Mother, they all have things to do. Why don’t we go around and explore?”
Thinking about the medical hall in Tianshui Town, Qiao Mai grabbed Ling’er’s hand. “Alright, let’s stroll around.”
She took the two to the medical hall first. At the counter, she asked,
“Shopkeeper, do you have fever-reducing medicine for children?”
“Yes, it’s one tael of silver per packet.”
Qiao Mai’s expression gradually darkened, “Do you have medicine for cough?”
“Yes, it’s one tael of silver per packet as well.”
“Give me one of each.’
“Alright.”
The shopkeeper packed the medicine, and Nanny Jin handed over two taels of silver. Qiao Mai took the medicine and walked out.
At the entrance of the medical hall, she opened the packets, sniffed them, and tasted a bit. These were the two prescriptions she had given away.
Well, the two prescriptions she gave away for free were now being used for profit by these unscrupulous people, and at exorbitant prices.
Damn it. One tael of silver per packet – how could poor families afford that? That damn guy had assured her, claiming to dedicate the prescriptions to serving the people.
She had been busy for a while, and in a moment of neglect, things had turned out like this.
Suppressing the dissatisfaction in her heart, Qiao Mai accompanied Ling’er to wander around the capital. Ling’er didn’t have a penchant for buying things; she only liked looking at rare items, so they didn’t make any purchases along the way.
The three of them were dressed plainly. Nanny Jin led Ling’er in front while Qiao Mai followed behind with her hands behind her back, playing the role of their bodyguard.
Despite appearing bored and wandering behind them, her heart was as cold as ice.
She hadn’t inquired about Ming Ren Medical Hall and didn’t know who was behind it.
But with how the owner had handled her prescription, she wouldn’t blame herself for being ruthless.
On this trip, she noticed that at the entrance of Ming Ren Medical Hall, there was a small mark, even on their carriage.
Liu!
Those who could open a medical hall in the Ming Dynasty were generally from medical aristocratic families. Such families typically would be royal physicians and had to be well-established.
In the afternoon, they didn’t return home for lunch and found a grand teahouse to sit down, rest, eat, drink, and observe the surroundings.
Nanny Jin explained things to Ling’er while Qiao Mai drank tea and observed the surroundings.
The teahouse was empty at this time. Those who ate proper meals wouldn’t come here for lunch. The only ones here were people with too much free time.
Business discussions were happening in the restaurants. Still, there were a few tables with guests.
These years of raising a child endowed Qiao Mai with patience. Even though she was furious inside, she remained calm on the surface.
An entire afternoon passed, and she heard nothing unusual in the teahouse.
When the three returned home, Yuan Jiaqi coincidentally finished his duties.
The husband and wife sat down and chatted. “Husband, do you know who opened Ming Ren Medical Hall?”
“Physician Liu, a royal physician who serves the emperor alone. He comes from a medical aristocratic family.”
“As expected.”
“What’s wrong, wife?”
“A year ago, a physician from their medical hall asked me for two prescriptions, one for fever and the other for treating cough. They claimed to want to do something practical for the commoners. When I went to their medical hall in the morning, a small packet cost one tael of silver.”
“It’s so expensive?”
“Yes, taking the prescriptions I gave them for free and unjustly making money. It’s despicable!”
“Wife, don’t be impulsive. I heard that Physician Liu is a good person.” “You’re afraid I’ll kill him?”
“No, I mean, let’s first observe. If it’s him, death would be too merciful.’
Qiao Mai squinted her eyes, and Yuan Jiaqi quickly poured her a cup of tea. “I think human life is precious. We can investigate thoroughly and then decide on any death penalty.”
“Humph, how can we let them die so easily? While the border is at war, Ming Ren Medical Hall hasn’t made any moves. It’s just a tool for making money, nothing more. What a joke about serving the people!”
Yuan Jiaqi saw that his wife was mad and naturally wouldn’t speak well of the medical hall.
That night, he got up in the middle of the night and saw the empty bed beside him. He knew his wife was going to make a move.
So he lit a candle and sat at the table all night, reading and waiting for his wife.
In the early morning, a figure walked in.
“Why haven’t you slept?”
“I’m waiting for you.”
“If I go out, just sleep. I’m just strolling around, not murdering anyone.” “Is that so?”
“Ming Ren Medical Hall is not the only medical hall. I gave away both prescriptions. I want to see how the Liu family handles this.”
Yuan Jiaqi breathed a sigh of relief.. “I see!”